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'On the eighth day, you shall have an
Atzeret
; you shall not engage in work of melachah' (i.e. refraining from those activities forbidden on Shabbat, except for preparation of food) Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35.
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In the Kiddush, we include the
sheheheyanu
.
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We do not eat in the succah, since:
'You shall not add to it and you shall not subtract from it' (Deuteronomy 13:1).
In the Diaspora, the eighth day is considered an extension of the seventh day of Succot, so we eat in the succah but do not sleep there, nor do we say the blessing 'leishev basuccah' (to dwell in the succah).
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In Israel, in Musaf (Additional Service), we say Tefillat HaGeshem (the General Prayer for Rain) and add the words:
'Mashiv haru'ah umorid hageshem
' (Who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall).
Tefillat HaGeshem
is usually said immediately before Musaf .
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On Simchat Torah evening and again in the morning, there are
Hakafot
(seven circuits): all the Sifrei Torah are taken out of the Ark and paraded around the bimah (central platform) seven times, with singing and dancing.
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In some congregations, the Torah is read also in the evening.
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In the morning service, after the
Hakafot
(seven circuits), we read the final portion 'Vezot Habrachah', calling up everyone present, in turn, to the Torah. The penultimate Aliyah is when all the young children are called up together (under a large tallit).
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Learned scholars are called at the end to conclude the Torah:
Hatan Torah
(Bridegroom of the Law) and re-commence it:
Hatan Bereishit
.
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The Hatanim invite the congregation to a party and a Se'udah, as part of the general celebration of Simchat Torah. (In many places the
Hatan Torah
arranges the feast, and the
Hatan Bereishit
arranges a similar feast on the following Sabbath.)
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